Print
If Yanet Lopez could cherry-pick one of the most memorable learning experiences in grade school, it would be when she dissected a squid, wrote with its ink on paper and saw participating parents in the lab make calamari.
“I recognize that STEAM identity happens through experiential learning,” said Lopez, a San Diego resident and first-generation college student. “Just seeing all of that unfold connected me to STEAM even though I didn’t pursue it. It inspired curiosity, and that’s something I’m still applying in my work today of problem-solving or being creative. I want that for my son and I want that for students in any community.”
Andy Weir loves to geek out.
One would expect this from any science-fiction writer, especially the one who penned the highly successful bestseller “The Martian.” But ask Weir a simple question about where he comes up with some of the ideas for his new book, “Project Hail Mary,” and the listener might get more information than they bargained for.
“It started with that I wanted to create a setting where people can fly a spaceship around the solar system without requiring 95 percent of the ship’s fuel,” Weir says. “The most efficient spaceship fuel possible would be something that converts mass into light, and then sends that light out as propulsion, because light has momentum. So if you shoot light out the back of your ship, it will go forward, but you’re going to have to shoot a lot of light out of the back. That’s a lot of energy.”
Young Scientists: Fantastic Physics
Cost: $60 - $70
The Fleet Science Center is now offering its early childhood program online for families to continue their learning experiences that enhance exploration and create excitement together with children ages 3-5 from the comfort of home. This month: Have fun with all the forces around you by exploring the push and pull of magnets and making mechanical toys to explore motion and energy.
Share